Dry closet.



T. H. NANCE.

DRY CLOSET.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 5, 1915.

Patented June 13, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l ATTO R N EY 1HE COLUMBLyr'LANoGRAPM co WASHINGTON, n. c.

T. H. NANCE.

DRY CLOSET.

APPLlcAloN man APH. 5, 1915.

1,186,821 Patented June 13, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- IWITN ESSES y. l 1 TONY rlnz COLUMBIA PLANOURAPH co.. WASHINGTON. D. c.

TURNER HUNTNANCE, OF BIRMINGHAM', ALABAMA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS,` TO NATIONAL UTILITIES PORATION 0F ALABAMA.

COMPANY,

OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, A COR- DRY cLosET.

Specification of Letters Patent,

Patented, aan@ is, raie.

Application filed April 5, 1915. Serial No. 19,256.

' To all fwtom t mayconcem This invention has reference to dry closets' to provide a dry closet and its object is which when not 1n exterior of a room use may be moved to the or building, and may be drawn into the room or building into position for use.

In accordance with the present invention there is provideda substantially closed receptacle or compartment communicating with the interior of the room or building through an opening normally closed by a door. Within the receptacle there is normally lodged a boxor casing housing a removable container. k0n the opening of the door to the receptacle, which door is within the room or building, the box or casing, is accessible and may be then drawn into the room or building for use. To assure the return of the box to the receptacle gravity or other suitable propelling means are provided.

The receptacle exterior to the room or building has Ventilating means and ventilating openings may extend to the interior of the room so that all air currents move from the room into the receptacle and from the latteil to some suitable point of disposal, which in the case of a dwelling may be at or above the roof.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming apart of this specification, with the further understanding that while the drawings show a practical form of the invention, the latter is not confined to any strict eonformitywith the showing of the drawings, but may be changed and changes and modications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention.

In the drawings :-Figure`l is a front elevation, with some parts broken away and some parts in vertical section, of a dry Acloset embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of modified so long as such convenient height and be .convenient means for aiding 1n the producend remote from the the structure of Fig. l with some parts in elevation and also showing in dotted lines the position assumedon the opening of the receptacle and the withdrawal therefrom of the box or casing. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3&3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an elevation similar to Fig. l but showing another form of the invention. n Fig. 5 is a vertical front to rear section of the structure of Fig. 4 with some parts in elevation and showing in dottedy lines the position assumed when the box or casing is drawn out for use. Fig. 6 is a section on lthe line 6--6 of Fig. 5.

In the drawings there is shown a wall l and afloor 2. The wall l may be taken as indicative of the outer wall of a building, and the floor 2 may be taken as indicative of the floor of a room within the building, or

the wall l may be taken ask a division wall' Vand projecting through the lower part of.

this passage to the exterior of the building and for an appropriate distance beyond the wall 1 is a shelf 4. Inclosing the shelf 4 and projecting a corresponding distance be? yond the outer face of the wall 1 is a casing 5 which may be made of metal, either galvanized iron or some other appropriate metal suitably protected from the effects ofy weather. The casing 5 projects into the opening 3 to aboutrthe inner ,edgey of the opening, and is of about the same area as the passage 3, except that the casing 5 is not quite as high as the passage 3, leaving a smallsection of the passage 3 above the top y of the casing 5 where lodged within the passage 3. The top of the casing 5 indicated at 7 slants away from the wall l so as to conveniently shed water, especially where the casing 5 is exterior to a building. Through the top Tis a hole 8 surrounded by a collarQ to which is attached the lower end of a vent pipe 10 which may rise to any provided with any tion of an up-draft through the vent pipe 10.

The outer end of the casing 5, that is, the wall 1,'is provided with aA slide 11 normally tion, but this slide may accessV to the casing 5 Vfrom outside of the building. i 'Y Since the sides of the casing 5 are designed to support certa-in structures such sides indicated at 12 may be formed of wood or other, like material instead of these sides being formed of sheet metal, but'this does not preclude the formation of the casing A5 wholly' of sheet metal.

are made of wood or some lsuch material,

' vthe Vslide 11 may have itsedges seated in door 15' of a height and breadth to effectivelyV cover the passage rlhe door is secured Y Vtothe inner edge of the shelf tby hinges when the door is closed,

Vduced in Y.its vupper grooves 19v aliningV with 16 so that the'door may openY downwardly into substantially'parallelism'with the ioor 2, a knob 17 being provided vfor the manipu-V 'lation of the door, and such Ythan one knob if knob, or more convenient support for that end of the door when, down remote from the shelf L1.

Vhen the door ,has been opened and laid out substantially flat, therupperV surface of .theopen door, corresponding. to that surface of the Vdoor presented toward the passage 3 constitutes a continuation `of ,the` upper surface Ll.Y VNearthe sides of thefshelfje lit has pro-v surface grooves 18 and the door 15 has similar grooves 19 in that surface'presented toward the passage 3, the thegrooves 18 when Y .the V door is'opened and laid flat. Y

VVably i soV that sofarV when closed simulates a or some`V other structure often. found in rooms.

' YThat surface of the door 15 toward the room into which the lpassage have a covering 2O of .configuiationor suit'- ornamented, as indicated in Fig. 1, as appearance goesthe door V covered'fiie place,

The ornamental effect maybe fur- Y the'rproduced by paneling 21 adjacent to the within'the Ycasing Y e0 I Y, asto arrest the travelofthe box'22 from the i casing 5 when such travel has reached VaV de Athe grooves 18 andY container 25 whichmay be of space occupiedby the closed door.VV

Normally lodged within the casing 5 is a YboxV 22 mounted on Vwheels 23 adapted to from itsV normalk position 5y Vinto thev room'when `the ,door 15 is opened and laid flat'. The grooves 19 terminate ask shown at2r1l aty suchpoint readily y moved sired limit. Y 5 y Y c v Within the boxL 22 there is aA removable 'a size to lit in the closed posi-V Y be raised to permit f TWhen the, sides 12 v desirable, will provide a of the Vshelf.V fast to a corresponding side 12, as indicated 3 opens may 19,V VsoV that thebox is quite snugly within the box 22 and yet without any tight engagement therein, vso. that the container' may be removed through. what which constitutes the rear end ofthe box, end is left open, at any time such removal may be desired.

of the container 25 it is provided on the rear wall witha manipulating handle 26, which handle may beV taken as indicative ofany manipulating means. To facilitate the cleaning of the box 25 the lower edges are i rounded, as'shown at 27 and 2S, respectively.

To facilita-te the 'removal The top of thel container 25 is open and the box 22 is providedV witha hinged cover a 29 .in the form of a seat, the hinge connections being shown at 30, connections are made to extend a distance above the top surface of the seat 29, so as to'be engaged by a at one Vedge to the under face of the top 7L latch member 31 hinged ofthe casing 5 adjacent tothe door 15, and

'this latch Vmember 3,1, which 'may be in the to hang pendently general forni of a. iiap Y from the top 7, is so related to the seat 29 as to readily permit a'movement'of the box 22 through the passage 3 to the'interior of and these hinge the room, and when the inward movement Y of the box 22 has been reachedithe latch 31 drops behind the hinges 30 to hold the box in the extended position. -ln order .to return the box 22 into the casing 5 it is necesv sary to liftthe latch member 3 1 out of engagement with the hinges 30. Y Y

r1`he door 15 is so constrained toward the closed position by weights. 32 carried by of which is made at 3,4, and is passedaround apulley 35' on the weight 32, thence over a direction-changing pulley 3G on the corresponding side 12 nearthe top thereof and close to the slide ico 11, and from the pulley 36 the cord 33 is carried throughthe casing 5 to the door 15 where it is made fast to the door, as indicated at 37. Then the door 15 ismoved to Ythe lowered or horizontal position, the weights 32 are raisedV and when Vthe door is released in Fig. 2. Thevbox'22 is alsoconstrained toward the interior of the casing. 5 by weights 38` 'arranged on opposite ,sides ofV These weights the box within the casing 5. are each suspended by a cord 39 made fast Vto av corresponding side 12, as indicated at 10,- and carried Vfrom thelpoint of Vfastening about a. pulleyV el on the weight, thence about another pulley 42 on the correspondthe weights 32 immediately moveY the door to 'the upright closed position shown Y ingv side 12near the top thereof and thence to a suitable point on the corresponding side of the box, as shownat 43. NVhen the box 15 is drawn o utof lthe Vcasing 5 the weights 38Vare raised, but the box is held in the withdrawn position by the latch 31. When released frein the latch 31 thebox will return rthe door 15 is y material 46 to 1,186,821 u' s; l

into thecasing W5 by they action of the` Weights 38. y c p l.

rlvhe door--15 isin the lowered position by the Weight of the box y22 and When this box is moved from the lowered door 15 into.

the casing 5 the door rises by the actionoithekweights 32 `to the closed position.

To ventilate openings 44 near its lower edge, and the box 22 is also `provided With Ventilating openings .45. These Ventilating openings are covered with gauze or other screening prevent access of insects to the interior ot' the casing 5. Furthermore, Within the box 22 there is provided a receptacle` 47 for some suitable deodoran".

To facilitate the Withdrawal of the box 22 from. the casing5 the box is provided with a manipulating handle 48.

In order to support the casing 5 Where it is not convenient to provide underriding brackets, straps 49 are each made fast at one end to each sidev 12 of the casing near the outer end thereof, a bolt 50 providing a convenient means for the purpose. The other end of each strap 49 is secured to the outer face of the Wall 1 at a suliiciently high point above the casing 5 to properly support it.

The structureof Figs. 4, 5 `and 6 is in many respects similar' to the structure of Figs. l, 2 and 3, but differs in some respects. There is present a Wall 1 hating a passage 3 therethrough opening into a compartment of which only the floor 2 is shown. A casing 5 is provided as in `Figs-1, 2 and 3, and this casing has a bottom portion y4a similar to the shelf 4 of Fig. 2. The casing 5 has a top portion 7 With an opening 8, collar 9, and vent pipe 10, as in the othergures, and the casing has also a rear slide 11 and is supported by straps 49 like the structure oi Figs. l, 2 and 3. The passage 3 in the structure of Figs.` 4, 5 and 6 is normally closed by a door 15, but instead of having hinges 16 at the bottom of the door, there are other hinges 16a at one upright side of they door, kand these hinges are preferably spring hinges tending the door. A knob17 serves` as a means whereby the door may be readily opened and near the bottom the door has ventilat ing passages 44 covered by screen material 46, as in the structure of Figs. 1, 2 and3. The door 15a does not'rise quite to the height of the casing 5 and from the top ofthe door over that portion of the passage 3 whichl Would otherwise be exposed inside kof the building there is ahood 51 having ventilating passages 52, the hood opening into the passage 3 and the latter opening through the exterior of the Wall 1. y

The casing 5 normally houses a box ,22a which 1n most respects is similar to the box the interior of they casing 5' n provided with Ventilating at all times to closek 22, and needs no particular description. [n-y y stead oi' rollers 23 the box With feet 23?. p p `Which correspond to the box 22 are given the same kreference numerals in Figs. V'4, 5 and 6 as appear in Figs. 1, 2 `and 3. y

The ybox 22SL is carried on opposite sides by links 53 pivotally supported at the lower ends, as shown connected kto the box 22a by pivots 55. IThe links 53are spaced apart in the direction oi3 the depth of the casing 5 by a distance nearly equal toV the depth of the box 22a from front to rear. The links 53 are longer than the height of the box'and consequently when the box 22L is housed Within the casing 5 with the links 53 upright the bottom ci" the box is elevated a considerable distance above the bottom 4a of the casing 5. About midway of theV lengths of the links 53 they are connected together by a spacing link 5G. rlhere are tivo' sets oi links 53, one on each side of the box, and these' links constitute a parallel motion support for the box whereby Vwhen the links are rocked on'the pivots 54 the box is loW- ered and projected out of the casing 5 or elevated and moved into the casing 5 in accordance with the direction of movement. Because the box 22aL is thus elevated and lowered kthe casing 5 is made correspondingly high, and higher than in the arrangement shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Otherwise the box is quite similar to the arkrangementof Figs. 1, 2 and 3. In order to impart toy the box 22a a normal constraint to move into and remain in the casing 5, Weights 57 are provided, each Weight being connected to a cord 58 carried over a pulley 59 on the side of the casing near rear corner thereof, and then to an eye 60 or other fastening means Which may be coincident with the corresponding pivots 55 connecting the rear links 53 to the box 225.

Since the door 15a of the structure or" Figs.

Ping opposite ends provided with closures at 54, and at the upper ends the upper 22a is provided I V Other parts of the box-22a With the closure at one end having` a normal constraint toward the closed position, a box normally housed Within the casing` and movable out therefrom through the end provided with the closure having a normal closing constraint, said box also being provided with means constraining it to move into the casing and Open at the end remote from that Vbox is movable,

Aopen end of the box and end of the casinginto and out of'which the box removable therefrom through the open end-of the box and thatend of the casing remote from the end providedwv'ith the closure having the, normal constraint toward theY closed position. Y Y

A dry closet comprising afcasing having closures at opposite ends with one closure: provided ywith means iiormally constraining it toward the closed position, a box normally housed in the casing and movableV intoy and out of the casing through that end provided with the normally constrained closure, said box having a seat and also having one end open, and a receifatacle'within the box movable therefrom through the from the' easing through that end of the latter remote from the end having the normally constrained closure. Y Y

3. VA dry closet comprising a casing adapted to'be placed on one side of a division Wally having an opening therethrough, a door adapted to be placed on the other side of the division Wall to through, box movable intoand out of the casing and having means imparting to .it a normal constraintto move into the casing, a seatfor the top of therbox, and a removable receptacle normally Within the box, said box having the end remote from the door end of the casing open and the receptacle being removable from the box through said open end of the latter. c Y

4. A dry closet comprising a casing adapted to be placed on one side of a division Wall having an opening therethrough,v a door yadapted to be placed on the other side of the division Wall to cover the opening' therethrough, a box movable into and out of the casing-and having means imparting to it a Vnormal constraint to move into the casing,

a seat for the top of the box, and a removable receptacle normally Within the box, said box havingthe end remote from the door end of the casing open and the receptacle being removable from the box through Vsaid open end of the latter, and said casing having the end remote from that adapted to the I division Wall provided With a readily removable vclosure of al size to admit-of the Y removal of the receptacle from the'box While y the latter is within the casing.l

5. A dry closet comprising a casing havmg` one end larger than the other andl open Yat both ends, a closure for each end with the closure at the larger end having means constraining it toward the closed position, a box normally housed in the casing and movable *i vtherefrom through'the larger end of the casingl and pro'videdwvith means normally constra'iifiing` it to move into ythe casing, said box having'the end toward the smaller end of the Vcasingjopen7 a Yseat torthe box, and

and a receptaclevvithin theV cover the opening therev 1,186,821y c Y Va yreceptacle Within the box inovablejtherefrom-through said open end of vthe box and the smaller endlofthe casing.

6. A dry closet comprisinga casing adaptfed to be placed-on one side of a divisionivall having an opening therethrough, a door', adapted to the other side' otheWalltocon-i i stitute a closure of the casing, said door having'meansiimparting to it a normal oonstrainttoward' the closed position,and y Y terior of thecasing and provided With means for 'the corresponding end- Y box adapted to the inimparting to it a normal constraint-jte Vmove into and remain in the casing, the boxbeing provided with a receptacle removable tl'iroughthat end-of the box remote from the door and open toward the top of the box,

and the lcasing being provided lWith a readily removable closurefor' from the door and of a. size to admit of the removal of the receptacle from the box through said end of the casing. Y l

7. A dry Vcloset comprising a casing adapted to be located at the exterior of a Wall having van opening therethrough With thev casing coincident with said opening, a door constituting a closure for the end remote vea Y the inner end Y of the opening through'the Wall and provided with means for imparting to it anormal constraint toward vthe closed position, a box provided with a seat and adapted to be housed'in the casing, meansV imparting to the box a normal constraint to move into Vand remain in the casing, and avventilating stack carried by and rising from the'casing exterior to thewall, the door and box-being provided With Ventilating passages for cooperation With the Ventilating stack.

8. A dry closet comprisingl a casing adapted to be applied to a'Y Wall With a passage therethrough at said passage and extend outwardly from the Wall, supporting means for the casing connected to the Wall, a-ventilating stack rising from thertopoi: the casing, a box normally housed in the casing and provided with a seat and with Vventilatiiig passages leading to the interior of the box, said box having oneend'open,

means for imparting to the boxV anormal constraint to remain in the casing and toreturn thereto When Withdrawn from't-he'easina the box andV removable through the rear of thebox, the rear of the casing having a re- Vmovable closure ot a size to permit the removal of the receptacle Vfrom Vthe box and from the casing, and a door adapted to the arec'eptacle adapted to the interior of;

interioroi2 the Wall to constitiite a closure y for the passage through the Wall and for the corresponding end-of the receptacle, said door having meansV imparting to it a normal -cconstraint'to move to and remaincin the closed position.

9. A dry closet comprising a casing adapted tothe placed exterior to a vWall having a passage therethrough with one end of the casing at said passage, a door oonstituty ing a closure for the interior end of the passage through thewall and movable from a normal upright position to a substantially horizontal position coincident withthe bottom of the interior ofthe casing, and a box adapted to the interior of the casingV and movable therefrom on to the lowered door, said box being provided with a seat and with a receptacle and movable from within the casing through the passage in the wall on to the lowered door to hold the latter in the lowered position.

l0. A dry closet comprising a casing adapted to be placed exterior to a wall having a passage therethrough with one end of the easing at said passage, a door constituting a closure for the interior end of the passage through the wall a normal upright position to a substantially horizontal position coincident with the bottom of the interior of the casing, and a box adapted to theinterior of the casing and movable therefrom on to the lowered door, said box being provided with a seat and with a receptacle and movable from within the casing through the passage in the wall on to the lowered door to hold the latter in the lowered position, the casing and box having coacting members for holding the box in the projected position and the box and door each having means constraining the box to move into and remain within the @oplet of this patent may be obtained for ive cents each, by addressiiig the Washington, D. C.

and movable from receptacle and the door to move toand remain in the closed position.

l1. A dry closet comprising a casing adapted to be placed exterior to a wall having a passage therethrough with one end of the casing at said passage, a door constituting a closure for the interior end of the passage through the wall and movable from a normal upright position to a substantially horizontal position coincident with the bottom of the interior of the casing, and a box adapted to the interior of the easing and movable therefrom on to the lowered door, said box being provided with a seat and with a receptacle and movable from within the casing through the passage in the wall on to the lowered door to hold the latter in the'lowered position, the casing and box having eoacting members for holding the box in the projected position and the box and door each having means constraining the box to move into and remain within the receptacle and the door to move to and remain in the closed position, said constraining means comprising weights and cords and direction-changing devices for the cords.

In testimony, that l claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

TURNER HUNT NANCE. Witnesses:

R. H. SMITH, W. T. BILLEN.

Commissioner of latente, 

